Chip Allen

1 hour ago, Fore Man said:

...I was once told by a Thai cop that because the exchange rate was 35 to 1, this inferred that we Americans were 35 times more wealthy than Thais and therefore we could afford to pay far more than the typical Thai could for the same article or service. And that is a very commonly shared belief here. I tried to explain to him that while our incomes are certainly higher in the West, so too are our tax burdens, expenses and outlays, but It went in one ear and out the other.  

A sterling example of Thai racist logic and complete lack of understanding of simple economics.

I agree  that the dual pricing is based on racism and jealousy but I simply refuse to get my knickers in a twist about the equivalent of fifty cents or a dollar US. Prices on many of these items and services are still  a bargain, since I could never buy them in my home country. Not a big deal to me. I am more concerned about the attitude that Thai immigration seems to have that compels them to invent ways of making it difficult to stay here, even though our contribution to the local economy is many times that of most Thai people.

On 9/20/2016 at 7:06 AM, jerojero said:

And why is this place any different than all the establishments on Soi Cowboy?

Let's assume they did not offer enough tea money.  

Shocking and disgusting. Indicative of the state of the Thai psyche.

16 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

 

Before Thai has even the slightest chance of becoming the dominant global language, I foresee much higher probabilities for Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Basque, Aafrikans or even Swahili.

 

 

Hieroglyphics and cuneiform are more useful than the Thai language. Prayuth must be drinking Lao Khao again.

Prayuth is almost perfect in his delusional Thai-centric, torturing of the truth. One of the most unbelievable statements made this year. RIght up there with his denial that Bangkok tap water can make you sick.

The "Thai Supremacists" are in fine form this afternoon with their feckless arguments and defense of obviously racist policies aimed at people who have a good bit more income than most of the Thai riff raff who get loans every day. The only analogous situation in the USA would be an extremely well-heeled retiree from Canada, with easily documented income and a long work history in his home country. My fiancee's judgement on the situation is "Thai people very jealous of farang". Her policeman brother agrees. Both are college graduates. I defer to Thai people to know their own, although cursory observation generally tells the story. The delusional Thai self-image does not hold up very well under independent examination. Hated by Laotians, Cambodians, Vietnamese and Burmese, yet fiercely sure of their own superiority.

Just now, Savilesghost said:

If it was racism, no farang would get a loan....your talking out your bum

 

I have financed 4 cars in Thailand, and have a credit card 

 

Instead of howling racism, msybe is because your not deemed creditworthy in Thailand and fail their requirements...no never...not an almighty farang, that cant be true...lets just says its racist....LOL pathetic 

 

It's racist. Case closed, end of discussion. My "credit worthiness" is a matter of public record. I have valid credit cards from America to prove it.

7 hours ago, Crossy said:

If the roles were reversed and you were a Thai in your home country with no provable income and no local job.

 

Would you be able to get a car loan?

 

 

If an extension of stay based on retirement does not prove income, I would like to know what does?? We jump through hoops to get these documents, which includes documentation of our income from our Embassy. Somehow that is not deemed to be good enough, even though the usual draconian penalties apply for perjury on a government document. The usual lack of logic mixed with thinly veiled racism.

There has been some small change on virtually every visit to immigration in the last two years. I have gotten conflicting answers from various personnel at the same office. I am still amazed that there is no database. Is this a part of the "full employment" initiative? I literally never know what may change with each subsequent visit. Jomtien seems to be the most reasonable office from what I read on various fora. I would like to move to Bangkok, but I don't want any problems with Immigration. They make it confusing enough as it is. This visit was the first time that a change has ever been in my favor. They must have been told that they were wasting paper. 

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

No it  is not since you are not in an office to show your passport.

You need copies of passport photo page, visa, last extension stamp, most recent entry stamp, TM6 departure and current report receipt. Also a completed TM47 form.

I was told by the IO officer that copies were NOT needed, and that a TM47 form was only needed for the  first 90 day report. Another example of "idiosyncratic" interpretations of rules, varying by the individual office? The officer swiped the bar code and gave me a date for my next report and I was through. All previous 90 day reports required copies. One of the officers at the Jomtien office actually owns one of the copy shops. This was the first time I was ever told that I did not need copies.

Previously, when filing my 90 Day Report in Pattaya, I have had to have copies of every used page in my passport. Today, I was informed that all I needed was my passport and the receipt for the previous report. I got the copies anyway, just to be on the safe side, but when I went to the desk, all they wanted was the passport. I had assumed that the requirement for copies of the passport pages was to keep the copy service in business, but this would indicate that this is not the case. Any thoughts??

The level of insanity that I see in this thread is off the map. My doctor prescribed Tramadol in the USA for my back pain. He SPECIFICALLY told me that he chose this medicine because it was NOT addictive. The level of imperial hubris that it takes to dismiss the judgement of a qualified physician is beyond the scope of my understanding.

Chances are, she has it a bit better than farangs who become homeless in Thailand.

Always a witch hunt. Flags are not people. Nationalism is poison.

Excellent idea.  Also, all military officials who overthrow elected governments should get the death penalty, as well.

On 12/30/2016 at 10:43 AM, glegolo said:

Yeah this seems on several points to be a strange OP,s posting.... First like you mention; no 90 day reports..... I wonder what will happen when he shows up,,, will he be thrown out of Thailand....

 

And secondly OP went to Laos and get a Non Immigrant O-A???? Is that really true???? is it possible to get an O-A in a country where you are NOT living??

 

Strange

Glegolo

I got a Non-Immigrant O visa in Vientiane, but my understanding was that the O-A could only be applied for in your own country. Perhaps I was given bad information.

1 hour ago, keeniau96 said:

If the owner refuses then you are stuck. Owner has to file her form at immigration and you follow that with your form. If she no go you better find another place to stay.

Amazing that your ability to file depends upon the whim of the landlord. Certainly no rule of law here. Landlord should be hit with stiff fines until compliance. But TIT.

Why is this controversial? Militants do not deserve a proper  burial. They should be sealed inside a pig's carcass and set on fire.

Saddam Hussein had to learn the hard way. I predict that the Kim family will come to a similar end. Let's get the show on the road.

Yet another indictment of the Thai system where the poor must fend for themselves. SOCIALISM NOW!!!!

19 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Bit like if you smoke weed in a country where it is legal and then test positive in a country where it is not you can still be prosecuted.

 

Or even countries where you can be gaoled for spending money legally earned by selling weed in another country. 

 

Know any places like that?

The medicine that are banned in the UAE and other countries are NOT recreational drugs. Blood pressure medicines and sleeping tablets have no recreational use whatsoever. The penalties handed to transit travelers and tourists are a violation of human rights and all free countries (or countries that CONSIDER themselves free) should mount protests against their citizens being treated in such a manner. Merely because you pass LAWS, does not make something fair and just.

This kind of thing is a huge problem in Muslim countries for people merely transiting through those countries with prescription drugs. The United Arab Emirates has a bizarre list of everything from blood pressure medicines to tranquilizers that can cause a tourist or transit passenger to be thrown in jail. International pressure needs to be brought to bear on these  countries to keep them from detaining citizens for possession  of legal medicine.

If they make it impossible, (which they are TRYING to do).....I would skip for Cambodia in a heartbeat. Simple economics is beyond the grasp of even the most educated Thai.

Can a ban on Facebook be very far off??? Knee-jerk nation to the rescue.